Trikari makes statement with Secretariat Stakes

When Trikari made his turf-stakes debut in the Grade 2 American Turf on May 4 at Churchill Downs, he went off at odds of 47-1, the longest price in a 14-runner field. The 3-year-old colt is not sneaking up on anyone any longer.

Trikari won that American Turf by 1 1/2 lengths, came back with a close third in the Penn Mile, went on to capture the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, and on Sunday at Colonial scored a decisive victory in the Grade 2, $500,000 Secretariat Stakes.

The betting market still underestimated the colt. Trikari went off the 3-2 second choice behind 4-5 favorite Brilliant Berti. Brilliant Berti tried to make a run at Trikari and could not, finishing second by 2 1/4 lengths while four clear of third place In a Jam.

Trikari, by Oscar Performance out of Dynamic Holiday, by Harlan’s Holiday, mixes athleticism and great looks with consistency and versatility. The Belmont Derby was contested over 1 3/16 miles, yet Trikari had no problem cutting back to one mile in the Secretariat.

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“He really is a stunning horse,” said Graham Motion. Motion rains Trikari for Amerman Racing, who also campaigned Oscar Performance. “He’s just gotten bigger and stronger as the summer has gone along.”

Trikari ($5) raced along comfortably in fourth down the backstretch of the Secretariat as General Ledger, tracked by Mattingly, went a moderate half-mile in 48.26. Trikari, Motion said, was positioned where he and jockey John Velazquez expected, and Velazquez reported to Motion following the race that his mount relaxed better than in any of his previous outings.

Trikari, who goes with long, smooth, bounding strides, began reeling in the pacesetters at the three-furlong marker partway around the far turn. He came three wide into the homestretch, cornering sweetly and switching leads right on cue, opening a lead of at least two lengths at the three-sixteenths pole and easily holding Brilliant Berti at bay.

Brilliant Berti raced from behind Trikari and followed his move into the homestretch but was unable to quicken with the winner while failing to change leads until just a few strides before the finish. Trikari, who was bred in Kentucky by Michael Slezak and Amy Boll, was timed in 1:34.92 over the firm inner turf course. Trikari earned a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure for his winning effort.

Motion elected to turn Trikari back to a shorter trip Sunday looking ahead to the rest of the season, envisioning Trikari truly blossoming as a miler rather than continuing at longer distances.

“Part of the reason I wanted to run today was to make a plan going forward. I think we take on older horses [at one mile] next time to see where we are,” Motion said.

Trikari could get that chance in the Grade 1 Turf Mile in October at Keeneland. Don’t sell him short.

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